If the San Francisco 49ers thought their patience with Brandon Aiyuk would soon turn into a trade, a new report explains why they’re fooling themselves.
After the 2023 season, it looked like Aiyuk was going to become one of the top stars in the NFL and one of the faces of the 49ers roster. Boy, it seems like a long time ago. In the two years since his breakout season, the relationship between team and receiver has been downright dramatic.
First, he was late to the start of the 2024 season because he was holding out for a new long-term contract. He got it, but then he tore his ACL seven games into that campaign. Yet, instead of taking the field last season, Aiyuk sat out the entire 2025 season due to ongoing differences with the organization. That made divorce a guarantee this offseason.
However, rather than trade the talented but problematic receiver and move on, general manager John Lynch is under the impression that if he is patient, he will find a team that would be willing to give Aiyuk something rather than lose him for nothing. Well, it looks like that’s not going to happen, and according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Lynch just needs to pull the trigger on his release.
“If he’s on their team in 2026, they have to pay him $27 million. If a team trades for him, they have to pay him $27 million. If the 49ers cut him, they don’t have to give him that money — and the team that signs him could theoretically get him at a lower price. Knowing that, the relationship is broken and the Niners will almost certainly pay Aiyuk his Week 1 salary before Will make the cut, teams have decided they can wait.”
-Dan Graziano
Graziano says the 49ers may choose to wait a few more months and hope a team becomes desperate. But considering the financial cost and draft pick value, no team is going to waste any money on a deal when they can get him for a much lower price with a little patience.
If the 49ers are looking petty, they may have to wait well into the preseason to finally cut the 28-year-old.
#Rumor #explains #49ers #wasting #time #waiting #trade #Brandon #Aiyuk

